London/Paris Eurostar sells its green credentials

Start the clocks. This time next year should see the completion and launch of the final phase in the completion of the high speed London to Paris rail link after years of limping through the UK at the speed of a suburban line train.

Eurostar have announced that 14th November 2007 will see the launch of a 186mph service between the two cities, that cuts under the channel and reduces the time for centre to centre by 25 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes.

With reduced check-in times and stations in the city centre, the service will easily beat airlines for the business traveller eager to grab an English Breakfast, lunch in Paris and still be back for a pint at the pub.

Eurostar joining forces with other European high-speed networks, cutting journey times by up to two hours to Amsterdam, Cologne and Zurich.

The new service will depart from London’s revamped St Pancras station instead of today’s Waterloo, which will be mothballed.

According to the London Times Eurostar will also promote the ‘Green’ credentials of train travel.

Eurostar will promote itself as the green alternative to air travel. It has published a study, which shows that, per passenger, a Eurostar train emits ten times less carbon dioxide than a typical aircraft flying between London and Paris.

Fares will be in place to match the current low cost airlines.

Finally the UK has a train service it can be proud of, whilst the rest of Europe has an extensive subsidised high speed network, the UK allowed a flawed privatisation to keep the UK in the poor mans league. The completed service will be a welcome addition to greener alternatives.